Project DAVE

Project DAVE (Domestic Abuse Victim Equality) is run independently by young people in Brixham. The project aims to create a series of posters that raise awareness of domestic abuse victims, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

The project began in October 2015, during National Domestic Abuse Awareness month, when young people recognised posters about domestic abuse that were already displayed in the youth club. These posters, released by Home Office in 2013, targeted female victims and male perpetrators. It was felt that there was a need to target other victims, and raise awareness of the fact nobody should suffer in silence.

Over the course of 6 months, the young people of DAVE explored the different types of domestic abuse, met victims, and began to plan how the testimonies they’d heard would be portrayed. Over time, plans to create seven individual posters were made, and in February 2016, the production began.

The final posters portray testimonies that the team have read online or heard personally. They not only target female and male victims, but transgender victims also, of all sexual orientation. The seven posters each focus on a different aspect of abuse, whether it be financial, emotional, physical or sexual.

1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men fall victim to domestic violence within their lifetime. Unfortunately, it is not something we can ignore. Ask most people if they know a man called Dave, and the average person will. The same can be said for victims of domestic abuse, but we just don’t realise it. We could work with them, be taught by them, even live with them on a daily basis and not even recognise it. Project DAVE aims to change that.

We aim to have Project DAVE recognised nationally. We hope that our posters will change the way in which people view domestic abuse, and shatter stereotypes. We hope that domestic abuse will no longer be a taboo subject, so that more people will recognise abuse and speak up.

Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors. But Project DAVE is the voice saying that you don’t have to be alone anymore.